Cirque du Soleil in Hawaii

Arts & Culture: For the first time, the world famous Cirque du Soleil will take the stage on the island of Hawaii.

Cirque du Soleil is performing Saltimbanco, Cirque's longest-running show, which has been redesigned for an arena setting, making it a perfect fit for Hawaii's Neil S Blaisdell Arena in Honolulu.

"This is one of the best arenas," stage manager Gabriel Dube-Dupuis, told Hawai'i Magazine's Derek Paiva. "It's the right size for the show. Very intimate. Everything will seem up-close."

Saltimbanco -from the Italian "saltare in banco", which literally means "to jump on a bench" celebrates the urban city and its conglomeration of characters. In the fictional city of Saltimbanco, anything is possible from seemingly impossibly acrobatics to aerial performances celebrating the skyscraper.

In keeping with Cirque's signature shows, the performance features a stunning array of visual images to keep the audience on the edge of their seats at all times, from settings to costumes.

Despite never having shown in Hawaii until now, Cirque actually has a long history with the islands. Founder Guy Laliberte was searching for a name for the troupe when he came up with the name Cirque du Soleil while watching the sunset on a Hawaiian vacation. Later at home he researched sun symbolisms and came up with references to youth, energy, dynamism, which all describe the many incarnations of Cirque.

Saltimbanco carries a message of diversity through its assorted characters, costumes and settings and is sure to find a new group of fans in its excursion to the 50th state.

Performances will be held from October 30 to November 16, 2008, with ticket prices ranging from $40 to $95 for adults, $32 to $76 for ages 12 and under, considerably less than its Las Vegas counterparts, but with all the color.

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